What's happening
This bill allows telemedicine for mental health in workers' compensation cases, requiring only one in-person visit unless hardship applies.
Why it matters
Expands access to mental health care for injured workers. by allowing telemedicine appointments, which can reduce barriers like travel, time off work, or mobility issues often faced during recovery.
Requires at least one in-person evaluation. within a set timeframe (12 months for video, 6 months for audio-only), but makes exceptions if an in-person visit would worsen the patient’s condition or cause undue hardship, ensuring patient safety and flexibility.
Considers both financial and psychological impacts. of mandating in-person visits, acknowledging that travel costs and mental or physical distress can be significant for some patients, and allows providers to override the requirement in such cases.
Potentially sets a precedent for broader telehealth use. in other areas of workers’ compensation or state health law, signaling a shift toward modernizing healthcare delivery and recognizing the unique needs of mental and behavioral health patients.
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Who cares
Workers’ compensation patients
The bill would permit telehealth psychological testing, treatment and counseling, with an in-person visit within 12 months of the first video visit or six months of the first audio-only visit unless an exception applies.
Psychiatrists, psychologists and licensed clinical social workers
These providers could deliver the covered telehealth services and use professional judgment to determine whether an in-person visit could disrupt care or worsen a patient’s condition.
Patients and families facing travel hardships
The bill would allow an exception to the in-person visit requirement for undue hardship, including travel that would cause undue financial burden or unreasonable physical or mental distress.
Headline styles
Allow Telehealth for Workers' Comp
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 58–0
- 3rd reading cal.983
- Substituted for S998
- Referred to labor
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.34
- Returned to assembly
- Died in senate
- Referred to labor
- Delivered to senate
Show 6 earlier actions
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.199
- Rules report cal.199
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Referred to labor
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Allow Telehealth for Workers’ Mental Health
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Samra Brouk
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
949
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. LUNSFORD, SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Labor
AN ACT to amend the workers' compensation law, in relation to permitting telemedicine services for mental and behavioral health issues under the workers' compensation system
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 13-m of the workers' compensation law is amended by adding a new subdivision 15 to read as follows:
15. Telehealth visits for psychological testing, treatment and counseling by psychiatrists, psychologists and licensed clinical social workers shall be permitted with one in-person visit within twelve months of the first video telehealth visit and within six months of the first audio-only telehealth visit unless (a) in the provider's professional judgment, an in-person visit service is likely to cause disruption in service delivery or has the potential to worsen the patient's condition, or (b) would create undue hardship upon the patient or such patient's family. A finding of undue burden shall include consideration of whether travel to and from the in-person visit would cause undue financial burden or unreasonable physical or mental distress.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01455-01-5
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.